Most of the focus will again be on winless QPR and their increasingly under-pressure boss Mark Hughes, who must be starting to fear for his job after bringing in 12 new players over the summer.

Stoke, however, have problems of their own, and have just one win from ten Premier League games and have scored six less goals than rock bottom Southampton. This one has bore draw written all over it, with the likes of Taarabt, Hoillett, Cisse, Crouch and Adam on the field, anything is possible.

The R’s are enduring their equal-worst start to a top flight season – they also had four draws and six defeats from their opening 10 games during their first ever season in the English top division in 1968-69.